mullen



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. w. & F/M. MULL-BN.

GRAIN DRILL.

1%. 355,462. Pdt-ented Jan. 4, 1887.

' (No Model.)

2 Sheets sheet 2.

' W. W185 M. IVIULLBN;

GRAIN DRILL. 7 N0. 355,462. I Patented Jam-4, 18817.

WITNESSES.

' NITED STATES PATENT Erica.

\VINFIELD W. MULLEN AND FRANCIS M. MULLEN, OF BUNKER HILL, IND.

GRAIN- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 355362, dated January 4, 1887 Application fi'ed O.ther 30, 1886.

To' all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that WQWVINFIELD W. MUL- LEN and FRANCIS M. MULLEN, of the town of Bunker Hill, county of Miami, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and use; ful Improvements in Grain-Drills, of which the following is a specification.

Our present invention resembles in many particulars that shown and described in our Letters'Patent No. 308,090, dated November 18, 1884; and it consists principallyiu adding to a drillsimilarthereto spring-mounted wings carrying the outer hollow drill-teeth. It also consists in an improved cut-off, whereby the flow of seed is regulated, and in some details of construction, all as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a top or plan View of a drill embodying our said invention; Fig.2, a central vertical section thereof on the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a rear elevation; Fig. 4, a transversevertic'al sectional view, looking toward the left from the dotted line l 4 in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5, a horizontal section on the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 6, a detail view of the feed-regulator or cut-off.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the frame of the drill; B, the side frames or spring-mounted wings; O, the feedbox or hopper; D, the feed-wheel; E, ourimprovedfeeding-regulator or cutoff, and F, the drill-teeth.

The frame A is of any usual or desired construction, and issupported by the usual main wheel, A, and carries the drill-teeth F, the handles A and the feed-box or hopper O.

. The side wings or spring-mounted frames B are connected to the main frame A by pivotbolts I), which pass through ears (1, provided for that purpose on the frame A, and also by slotted plates b, which are connected thereto by bolts b and extend across the side beams of the frame A, over pins a therein. Springs 13 are secured to the frame A by bolts a and adjusting-bolts a and their free ends rest against the inner surfaces or" the Wings B. By means of the bolts to these springs may, of

ments of the case.

course, be adjusted as desired, and the wings Serial N... 217,512. (No modeLl 13 thus held outwardly with more or less force. Of course we may use spiral or other springs, instead. of the variety shown, without departing from our invention.

The feedbox or hopper O is or may be of the usual or any desired construction, and needs no special description. It is fitted, as usual, in its lower part to receive the feedwheel D, and said lower part is provided with orifices-which connect with the several spouts leading to thedrill-teeth.

The feed-wheel D is of the same general character as the one shown and described in our aforementioned patent. a shaft D, which is driven by means'of gear from the main wheel A. Acollar, d, is placed thereon, which engages with a lever, D pivoted in an appropriate bearing on the hopper O by a pivot, c, and said shaft D may thus be moved endwise so as to throw the pinion there- It is mounted on on into or out of engagement with the gearwheel 011 the shaft of the wheel A, and thus throw the mechanism into or out of operation, as desired.

The cut-off or feed-regulator E consists of an arm extending through the hopper or feedbox 0 parallel with the feed-wheel D, which has a series of fingers corresponding to the series of slotsin one side of the bottom of said feed-box above said feed-wheel. On the outer end it has a hand-lever, E, by which it may be rocked back and forth, and the fingers thus thrown in position. as desired, and the open- -ings leading to the feed-wheel thus made smaller or larger, according to the require- A rack-bar, G, is secured to the endof the hopper or feed-box, with which the side of the leverF may engage,

and thus said cut-off or feed-regulator E is held to the position desired. The drill-teeth Fare, or may be, of the usual or any desired construction, and are connected t0 the casing surrounding the feed-wheel by spouts, as shown. The spouts leading to the two drill-teeth, or the ones which are mounted" upon the wings B, are constructed in telescopic sections, one running inside of the other, so that as said wings move in and out the spout-sections may slide over each other, and

the length of the spouts, as a whole, be thus varied accordingly.

This drill is mostly used where it is desired to sow grain between rows of corn, and its operation is as follows: The three central drillteeth, being rigidly mounted on the frame A, move directly forward, as the drill progresses through the field, in parallel lines; but the outer drill-teeth, being mounted on the springmounted wings B, as they move along next the hills, will swing in and out and accommodate themselves to the inequalities in the ground produced by such hills, and leave a line of seed which practically follows the bases of the hills of corn. By this means any tearing up of the hills of corn is avoided and at the same time the grain is drilled very close to them, which is very desirable.

We are aware that the frames of cultivators and other like machines have been made with flexible side pieces, and that springs have been employed to hold said pieces outward. WVe therefore desire to be understood as limiting ourselves tothe particular construction herein shown and claimed.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a grain-drill, of the main or central frame, A, the usual drill mechanism and drill-teeth, and the outer frame parts or wings, B, said wings being pivoted to the frame A, with springs interposed betweensaid wings and said frame.

2. The combination of the main frame A, the usual seed-box and feeding mechanism, the spring-mounted wings B, and spouts lead ing from the seed-box to the drill-teeth, the spouts which lead to the teeth on said wings being of a telescopic construction, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a grain-drill, of the main frame, the drill-teeth, the seed-box, the feed mechanism, and the cut-off or seed-regulator E, consisting of an arm having fingers corresponding to the slots in the bottom of the seedsbox, whereby the size of said slots may be. Varied by rocking said arm, substantially \VINFIELD XV. MULLEN. FRANCIS M. MULLEN. [L. s.

In presence of ToWNER H. ARLUOKE, GnopXV. BLUE. 

